Acoustic tonewood aging

[PreacherBob]

BTW, StewMac is still selling old Adirondack red spruce from felled trees in the Appalachian mountains. You can purchase it torrified as well. I may get a few sets in case it runs out later. I could at least make some wall art if nothing else. About $200 pair of panels

Old Growth Red Spruce Soundboard for Dreadnought Guitar​

Exceptional quality, limited availability
Rare Red Spruce from a few choice trees felled at high altitude in the Appalachian mountains.

Old Growth trees grew in competition with surrounding trees for rain, sunlight and nutrients. Growing slowly, their grain is closer-spaced than other Red Spruce.

Red Spruce was used on the most prized Martins from the late 1920s through 1945, and Gibson also used it until 1945. For many collectors today, there is simply no comparison to the Red Spruce tops from that Golden Era.

 

[RBSinTo]

If guitars aged the same way people did, one could purchase a parlour guitar when they were 20, which would be a dreadnought when they were 40, and a jumbo when they were 60.
RBSinTo

 

[Opsimath]

I’m about to complete my ”Centennial Snakewood OM” guitar. I may buy a Tonerite for that one, not wanting to abuse it with heavy strumming. It’s a very light build. A unique light red example Amazon rosewood on back and sides, Martin OM mahogany neck and ebony fretboard and bridge, top and braces made from reclaimed wood from the red spruce sound board of a 1906 piano. Waverly 100 year anniversary snakewood Waverly gold tuners, and bridge pins collection. I’m making the nut and saddle from old snakewood as well, being 2 spots harder than African ebony on the Jenga list, I’m hoping it will sound suitable, I’ve done wood, brass, and stainless steel before.

Wait.

You're building a guitar and not taking us along for the ride, or did I miss the thread?

 

[Guildedagain]

Wow, what an idea. I know where there is a piano I could just have. Silly people threw it out and it's been outside for near 10 years with a tarp on it, probably quite ruined but the soundboard might be sound.

The more you know people, the more you understand why Noah only let animals on the Ark...

 

[PreacherBob]

Wait.

You're building a guitar and not taking us along for the ride, or did I miss the thread?

Ha! I’m busted! But I can’t take all the credit. A really good luthier I had purchased a jumbo years ago from that he built with red spruce from the same sound board, he started this OM project 5 years ago. Then I purchased it from him 3 years ago to continue the build. So it’s all done minus the nut and saddle, and installing the tuners. Hopefully should finish in a couple weeks I can post some pics in another thread. It’s really p-r-e-t-t-y… I did a hand rubbed clear finish on the back, neck, and sides, with a very bright cherry/over amber burst High gloss on the top. A little odd choice for an OM, but I just love looking at it. I’m really hoping the aged red spruce top will go….BAM!

 

[PreacherBob]

Wow, what an idea. I know where there is a piano I could just have. Silly people threw it out and it's been outside for near 10 years with a tarp on it, probably quite ruined but the soundboard might be sound.

The more you know people, the more you understand why Noah only let animals on the Ark...

Heres the J300 super jumbo we finished at my shop about 5 years ago. Same 100 year old red spruce piano sound board top, Martin D28 neck, and Ambrosia maple back and sides. I played it several years before passing it on. Big big sound. The luthier Tom Green had enough red spruce from that one sound board to make three guitar tops plus bracing. And yes, yes, I just had to make Guild style double pick guards.

 

[Guildedagain]

Wow, very cool the jumbo body with Martin-ish headstock.

Sadly the piano soundboard is too thin to make a solid body electric guitar, but plenty of top wood to be had for acoustic build. A little research nets 1/4" to 3/8" as an average thickness and most of these throwaway pianos are 100 years old or older.

 

[Opsimath]

Wow, very cool the jumbo body with Martin-ish headstock.

Sadly the piano soundboard are too thin to make a solid body electric guitar, but plenty of top wood to be had for acoustic build. A little research nets 1/4" to 3/8" as an average thickness and most of these throwaway pianos are 100 years old or older.

What about the body of the piano? Aren't some of them made out of some pretty good wood, like mahogany and such, and in some pretty good sized chunks?

 

[PreacherBob]

Wow, very cool the jumbo body with Martin-ish headstock.

Sadly the piano soundboard are too thin to make a solid body electric guitar, but plenty of top wood to be had for acoustic build. A little research nets 1/4" to 3/8" as an average thickness and most of these throwaway pianos are 100 years old or older.

Wow thanks for the info! I never inquired of Tom about the sound board dimensions. I’m not even sure how big they are Inside the pianos. Though it does make me want to search for old pianos to reclaim those guts. Maybe a new side hobby for me. If stewmac can get upwards $200 for an aged red spruce guitar top, it makes one think. I know he got enough for three tops, along with enough bracing. Also that was a new Martin D28 neck on that jumbo, we attached a rosewood face plate, and I put Waverly tuners on.. Tom was able to buy those necks from the Martin factory, they were culled out as seconds, but we never could find any defects. An original Martin neck is on the OM I’m finishing up as well.